5 Common Mistakes Managers Make in 2022— And How to Fix Them 

To reduce risk and exposure and improve employee retention, it’s critical to cultivate a strong management style.  Firstly, a good boss is key to employee satisfaction and retention.  A Gallup poll found that 75% of people who left their jobs were motivated to run because they didn’t want to work for their supervisor anymore.  In 2022, this is an especially critical point.  This year, many employers are losing staff or facing challenges finding new talent to support their team.  So, it’s vital that organizations do everything they can to show candidates their best employer brand.  A second reason companies need strong management is that an employee in a leadership position often has the power to make mistakes in their work that result in significant consequences.  A common error by management could create consequences such as risking compliance or increasing legal risk and exposure.  MP’s HR compliance experts share the top common mistakes managers make—and tips to fix them. 

5 Common Mistakes Managers Make  

1. Sharing confidential information. 

People in a management role are likely to have access to various forms of confidential and sensitive information.  This information includes employee files, succession planning, company plans for the future, employee policy planning and review, internal audits, and more.  It’s critical for compliance and to improve employee retention that managers are careful about sharing information.  Federal law requires employers to keep medical information obtained on their team members confidential.  One of the top mistakes managers make occurs when employees are out on medical leave.  Managers should only share that the employee is on leave, not the reason for the leave.  If employees come to a manager asking for too much information about coworkers, managers can deal with employee curiosity by reminding them that everyone’s privacy is prioritized and protected.  Employers can do this in a firm, but friendly and approachable manner.  The optimal manager has won the trust and confidence of those around them, is excellent at listening, and is very judicious about what they share.  This extends beyond the office.  Common mistakes of managers include sharing confidential information with people at work, friends, family, etc.  

2. Being too laissez-faire or micromanaging. 

Managers should aim to give employees enough autonomy to complete their jobs and also feel empowered.  To ensure high performance, it’s often recommended that managers schedule a weekly, monthly, or quarterly check-in with employees.  Especially in 2022, when remote employment is an option for so many professionals (or was for part of the pandemic), autonomy has become a priority.  Research has repeatedly shown that employees are often significantly happier and more engaged with their work when they feel empowered to make at least some decisions on their own.  An effective manager gives enough support and structure to help their reports complete their job duties and defined goals.  However, they also offer employees freedom to make some decisions independently when possible.  These are nine examples of autonomy that managers could offer their team.  Note that managers can offer a combination, all, or just a few of these: 

• How to structure the workday and time management 
• How to handle a task 
• How to prioritize tasks 
• What tasks to complete 
• What resources to use when completing a task 
• Who else to involve in completing a task 
• Where to work 
• When to work 
• What technologies and tools to use when working 

3. Not providing feedback or showing gratitude. 

Optimizing employee performance and minimizing employee mistakes are key responsibilities for any manager.  One of the best tactics for achieving these goals is ensuring that employees are regularly receiving feedback.  Managers shouldn’t just focus on negative feedback, though.  In addition to managing employee mistakes, effective managers also praise and encourage their team when they do well.  Offering prompt feedback and praise will help employees constantly improve their performance.  Managers should remember to criticize in private and praise in public.  Employees will be too focused on shame and unable to learn from criticism if it’s done in front of others.  Praise should be public, so other employees see what is valued.  Public recognition also amplifies the experience for the employee and makes it more powerful.  Amidst The Great Resignation, offering the right feedback at the right time and the right place can make a big difference in employee retention rates.  Lastly, managers must perform thorough documentation when they give a warning disciplinary correction to employees.  Creating a paper trail is key for conducting more significant disciplinary measures, including suspending employees, docking their pay, or firing them.   

4. Not publicly aligning with upper management. 

Managers may not always agree with policies and decisions from their organization’s leadership.  In these cases, they should speak privately with leaders.  Their responsibility is to present policies clearly to employees and omit personal concerns.  Managers who give negative commentary on policies are likely to make their own work life harder.  True change will only come from having more productive conversations with upper management.  

5. Not being aware of employees’ rights. 

Managers and their company leadership must ensure that they’re trained and updated on everything they must know about their employees’ rights.  This may differ from state to state, industry to industry, or even based on company size.  Knowing about and respecting an employee’s rights has two benefits.  Firstly, it maintains compliance for the company, which is crucial as the Department of Labor (DOL) ratchets up its investigations and audits in 2022.  Secondly, this will boost employee engagement and retention.  Staff will be happier in their jobs and more likely to stay on if their managers respect their rights.  Investing in protecting employee rights is another way to invest in an organization’s most valuable asset: its staff.